Finally, our brave Perseus arrived at the island, where he expected to see his dear mother.  But, during his absence, the wicked king had treated Danae so very ill that she was compelled to make her escape, and had taken refuge in a temple, where some good old priests were extremely kind to her.  These praiseworthy priests, and the kind-hearted fisherman, who had first shown hospitality to Danae and little Perseus when he found them afloat in the chest, seem to have been the only persons on the island who cared about doing right.  All the rest of the people, as well as King Polydectes himself, were remarkably ill behaved, and deserved no better destiny than that which was now to happen.

Not finding his mother at home, Perseus went straight to the palace, and was immediately ushered into the presence of the king.  Polydectes was by no means rejoiced to see him; for he had felt almost certain, in his own evil mind, that the Gorgons would have torn the poor young man to pieces, and have eaten him up, out of the way.  However, seeing him safely returned, he put the best face he could upon the matter and asked Perseus how he had succeeded.

“Have you performed your promise?” inquired he.  “Have you brought me the head of Medusa with the snaky locks?  If not, young man, it will cost you dear; for I must have a bridal present for the beautiful Princess Hippodamia, and there is nothing else that she would admire so much.”

“Yes, please Your Majesty,” answered Perseus, in a quiet way, as if it were no very wonderful deed for such a young man as he to perform.  “I have brought you the Gorgon’s head, snaky locks and all!”

“Indeed!  Pray let me see it,” quoth King Polydectes.  “It must be a very curious spectacle, if all that travellers tell about it be true!”

“Your Majesty is in the right,” replied Perseus.  “It is really an object that will be pretty certain to fix the regards of all who look at it.  And, if Your Majesty think fit, I would suggest that a holiday be proclaimed, and that all Your Majesty’s subjects be summoned to behold this wonderful curiosity.  Few of them, I imagine, have seen a Gorgon’s head before, and perhaps never may again!”

The king well knew that his subjects were an idle set of reprobates, and very fond of sightseeing, as idle persons usually are.  So he took the young man’s advice, and sent out heralds and messengers, in all directions, to blow the trumpet at the street corners, and in the market places, and wherever two roads met, and summon everybody to court.  Thither, accordingly, came a great multitude of good-for-nothing vagabonds, all of whom, out of pure love of mischief, would have been glad if Perseus had met with some ill-hap in his encounter with the Gorgons.  If there were any better people in the island (as I really hope there may have been, although the story tells nothing about any such), they stayed quietly at home, minding their business, and taking care of their little children.  Most of the inhabitants, at all events, ran as fast as they could to the palace, and shoved, and pushed, and elbowed one another in their eagerness to get near a balcony, on which Perseus showed himself, holding the embroidered wallet in his hand.